Soul Mates Belong Together
by Fight4yourPRIDE
Summary: Caroline leaves Max for good, and Max didn't know her world was going to fall apart.
1. chapter 1

I just have to write this down before I forget about this story in my head or before I loose the feelings I feel in my heart. With my mixed feelings about Maxoline and how things are going in season 6, I just have to let it flow it all out on screen and save it here forever.

XXXXX

Caroline looked out her Manhattan penthouse, she was finally back. She had worked her way up the business world with Max's cupcake and built her own name. 7 years ago, Caroline Channing had lost her name, her name was hidden under her father, Martin Channing's ponzi scheme, that very night she had not just lost her name, her assets, or even her father; she had lost herself. Caroline had moved all the way to Brooklyn where she knew nobody from her upscale world will go.

She had met Max Black that night, with her kindness hidden snug behind her rough exterior, Max had saved her.

Max Black had got her everything.

Caroline had never met anyone who gets her like Max, they were two completely different people from two completely different world but somehow the universe had a plan for them. They were two complete different puzzle pieces that were not supposed to fit together, but after so many years of setbacks and hopes and tiny moments of success, they had struggled together and their edges had worn off until they fit together perfectly as if they were always met to be together.

Max Black never believed in her own dream, she had a fear of success and even love, but Caroline believed in her; in them. 7 years later, Max's homemade cupcakes finally succeeded, with their original window shop in Williamsburg, Brooklyn and a new budding shop in Manhattan, they were no longer the 2 broke girls. At this rate, Caroline thinks that they can open another shop in New York in 2 years or less.

Caroline had gained back her wealth, but somehow part of her knew she had lost everything.

Caroline had lost Max.

Max was now on a one year wedding anniversary trip with Randy Walsh in Paris, living her life to the fullest while Caroline was left alone in Manhattan penthouse drinking a glass of expensive scotch. But no matter how many drinks, no matter how beautiful the city night view was, Caroline couldn't drink away the pain in her heart. How could she? Having loved Max ever since she met her for almost 7 years now but never had the courage to tell Max, and now Max Walsh is married and celebrating her first year anniversary, it won't be long before she starts a family with Randy. Caroline's heart clenched again at the thought, she gripped her glass tighter and did not realize the tears on her cheeks.

From full blown crying secretly when Max started dating Randy and seeing how wonderfully happy Max genuinely is, Caroline never ever said anything. The words in her heart never managed passed her throat, and after she saw how happy Max was with Randy, Caroline was filled with regret that she would never have the chance to confess her feelings. Now her cries were silenced into quiet tears, her heart was simply in constant pain. Caroline threw herself into work when Max got proposed, when Max showed her her engagement ring, Caroline felt like her world was falling apart. On her wedding where Caroline was the bridesmaid, it was the most painful thing to do standing on the wrong side of Max.

Deep down, Caroline knew she needed to do something with her pitiful situation. Everything was so empty and painful and lonely and god, so depressing, Caroline didn't even know how she even survived til now. She could survive loosing billions, she could survive countless failures and humiliation but _this_ , she didn't know how long she could take it. She is only human after all, when the day comes where Max excitedly tells her she's pregnant and wants her to be godmother is the day she knows she going to just die. Caroline couldn't let that happen, she needed to leave before that.

Caroline did not know how to tell Max that, they have always been a team, even though they were not really a team anymore when Max started dating Randy officially. She never felt needed after that, she just seemed to be the third wheel, and that killed her. She had been dreading for this day, and when Max left her to Paris with her husband for a week, she knew she just had to tell Max after she returns, she could wait no longer.

She looked around the big penthouse that did not even feel like home to her: this is it, it was time to leave for good. There was nothing left for her here anyway, Chestnut has his own personal barn, her boy was taken care of. Caroline did not know if she was ever returning, she squeezed her eyes at the thought of coming back a few years later just to see Max and Randy and their children running around happily, her heart clenched painfully at the thought.

 _I will never come back here again, this is no longer my home._

A week later, Caroline had already packed her bag, turned out she did not have much to pack in her luggage, and she had a strange Deja Vu to the night 7 years ago where she had to pack her luggage and realized she did not have anything. She did not cry nor let a tear drop, she had completely resigned to her situation. The psychic was right so many years ago, she was promised success but not love.

It was a Saturday evening when Max came back to her. Max still has long curly black hair and after a week in Paris, has worked on a tan.

"Caroline I'm back!!! " Max yelled as she entered the penthouse, while she obviously did not live with Caroline anymore but with her husband, Caroline had given her an extra key nontheless.

Caroline turned around and forced a smile on her face, her heart tightening at the thought that she would never see Max again.

"Hey Max! How was your vacation?" Caroline asked casually as Max ploped down on her couch with her legs on the table. Max took off her sunglasses and sighed happily.

"It was so perfect and Randy was a hopeless romantic, he brought me to fancy dinners and we have city walks at night and when we returned to the hotel, there were always rose petals and all that jazz!" Caroline cringed inside but had since long perfected her facial expressions. She smiled happily and sat next to Max.

"Aww, he's so sweet."

"Uh huh, he brought me to the Eiffel Tower and we even brought a padlock for the love bridge! Silly right? I told Randy you would be so jealous if you heard this! I know you are a romantic too!" Max ranted on, and did not noticed Caroline biting her nails into her fist.

"Yeah, haha..."Caroline dry laughed, she did not know how to break the news to Max with how happy Max was being, but then again Caroline knew she had to say it, she needed to do something for her heart and stop protecting Max's happiness over her own.

"What's up with you? Ooh, is there food? " Max asked at Caroline's forced laugh but was quickly side tracked. Caroline bit her lips, these day Caroline felt that heart is just completely dried up with how many times it had been broken and bled and clenched and tightened into itself.

"Max..." Caroline whispered, and slightly gripped Max's wrist just as she was about to get back to the kitchen. Max turned back and frowned at Caroline's serious tone. Caroline was hardly ever serious, in Max's eyes Caroline was always chipper and positive and determined, but she seemed a bit off tonight.

The night had arrived, filling the windows with brilliant city lights behind Caroline, and the table lamp beside them is the only light illuminating their faces. Suddenly, the air around them changed. It was no longer filled with excitement and happiness emoting from Max, but an almost sad tone to it, Max didn't understand why.

"Hey, what's wrong Caroline?" Max sat back down, holding Caroline's hand in her. Caroline kept quiet for a while mustering the courage in her heart. For once in a very, very long time Max looked at Caroline's face, Max never ever really noticed that Caroline's face looked so sad.

 _That's weird, since when has Caroline looked so sad?_

Max thought, since when had Caroline have dark circles under her eyes, since when had Caroline's shoulders started to slouch as if defeated? Since when was the last time Max really looked at her best friend?

"Caroline? What happened? Did something happened while I was gone?" Max asked worriedly, her heart beating a bit faster at the sudden thought she had not really, properly been with Caroline besides business matters, and she had not noticed the changes in Caroline.

Caroline took a shuddering, deep breath and finally looked into Max's eyes. Max jumped slightly at the blonde's intense look.

"Max, I'm leaving." Caroline breathed out and Max felt like all of a sudden, her world stopped momentarily.This time, her hand jerked back.

"What?? What do you mean you're leaving? Where - When, _why?_ " Max raised her voice, her mind couldn't even comprehend the statement.

"I'm not sure where I'm heading yet. " Caroline lied.

"Wait, wait, wait. You are going for a vacation right? You'll be back in a few days?" Max panicked, somehow deep down she knew the meaning behind the statement but she didn't want to believe it, she refused to.

Caroline kept quiet, and that worsen Max's fear.

"Caroline? Talk to me! I don't understand!" Max yells, and stood up abruptly. She felt like she needed air to breath with how tense the air was around them, but there was more pressing matter here.

"I don't think I'm ever coming back, Max." Caroline said at last and Max's heart dropped to the pit.

"What? Why? I mean, what's this all of a sudden, Caroline? Why would you even think that?" Max felt like her heart was going to thump out of her chest. "Tell me what's wrong, was it something I did?"

Caroline shook her head, "I'm lonely, Max. " Caroline looked into her eyes, and the look in her eyes was going to haunt Max for the rest of her life. Max had never seen such sad and resigned eyes, at least not one directed her before. Her own heart clenched in pain.

"Caroline... "Max whispered, she wanted to comfort her best friend that she would have someone in her life soon, she would not be alone forever, but Caroline cut her off.

"I'm rich again but everyday I come home to this dark and empty penthouse. I'm rich again but I felt like I have lost everything."

"Caroline, you won't be alone forever! I'm sure someone out there is waiting for you-" Max sat back down and held Caroline's hand but frowned when Caroline pulled back and shooked her head.

"You don't understand, that someone is taken by somebody else." Caroline said, looking into Max's confused eyes.

"I still don't-"

"I lost you, Max." And it all dawned on Max, her heart started racing all over again.

"Oh." Max stared back helplessly as tears started to pool in Caroline's eyes. Caroline looked upwards to prevent her tears from falling.

"I have loved you for seven whole years, Max."Caroline looked back to Max, and the tears fell. Caroline's eyes spoke of pain, sadness and regret and once again Max thought she had never seen another pair of saddest eyes.

"Caroline, I-" Max was speechless. Caroline shook her head that silently told her to just listen.

"I have loved you for many years, Max but I never dared to tell you because I didn't want to ruin our friendship. I kept quiet and I kept my feelings tucked inside because I told myself as long as I have you as my best friend, it would be enough for me." Caroline took a shuddering breath, and smiled sadly as Max. "But it wasn't, when you started dating Randy, I knew he was different, you were no longer just playing, you were serious about him. There were so many times I could tell you when you two were on and off, but I just couldn't say anything because of you were so focused on Randy. It was always Randy this and Randy that, and slowly I felt as if I was starting to loose you."

Caroline paused and looked forward, "And I thought, it's okay, I still got you by my side, it would be enough." Caroline chuckled darkly. "And of course it wasn't enough."

"Caroline... I don't know what to say..." Max replies weakly, her heart hurting as she listened to her best friend's pain. Why did she never notice anything?

Caroline shook her head, "You don't have to say anything Max. I just have to let you know all of these before I go."

"Stop saying you're leaving, you're not going anywhere!"

"I've lost everything here, there's nothing left for me here." Caroline said weakly.

"You have not lost me, Caroline. I'm here, I'm right here! What are you talking about??" Caroline turned to her.

"Oh yeah? When was the last time we really talked? And it's not business related?"

Max opened her mouth and froze, _oh my god,_ she thought and tried as she might, she couldn't find the answer. Was it last month ago, or two months, or three..? Has it been that long? It was just that their business was blooming and she was so happy Randy was moving here to her and their wedding and moving in together. She stared back at Caroline in shock. Caroline smiled weakly.

"When was the last time we went out together, just you and me?" Max opened her mouth again and once again found herself staring at Caroline in fear.

"When was the last time we were just us? When was the last time it was just Max and Caroline?" Max froze, and pain filled her heart. Had she been so selfish and self involved she totally forgotten about her best friend?

"Oh my god... Caroline I'm so-"

"Don't apologize, Max. " Caroline chuckled darkly. "I knew things were going to change, I knew I was going to loose you once I saw how serious you were with Randy. I just didn't know it was going to hurt this much." Caroline sniffed. Then she turned back to Max.

"Do you know when things really started to change?" Max kept quiet.

"It started with you hanging most of your time with Randy, cancelling our plans. It was a change to me since God knows we do everything together, but it was completely normal, you two were in a relationship after all, I didn't mind too much. Well then you were staying with Randy most nights, and well I knew then you won't need me anymore. We were no longer a team. You were in a relationship, I get it."

"Caroline, I never said I don't need you, you're my best friend!" Caroline smiles readily, but her eyes showed resignation.

"But I truly felt I lost you when you told me you were moving in with Randy. " Max remembered that day as clear as it was just yesterday, Max was packing her clothes and garden gnomes, she couldn't believe she was moving out of a place she called home for as long as she could remember, and Caroline was either really quiet or rambling about her and Randy's new place. There was an awkward moment when Randy was ready to pick her up to their new place, and they stood in front of each other, not knowing what to say or what to do; then there were promises that she would always come back here, and things would be back to normal once she settled in with Randy. But the fact was she broke the promise after the first few months, Max thought back in horror, she stopped coming back after the first few months to the point where Caroline did not even ask anymore, and then she hardly went back as if she had completely cut ties with it, and in a way with Caroline. The place was their home, they had countless memories in that apartment. Max's eyes started to pool.

"Caroline, I didn't mean to, you _know_ I didn't mean to break my promise. It was just we were both busy and-" Max desperately searched for excuses but there seemed none, some parts of them drifted apart. Max felt as if she was at the edge of breaking down, desperation was clawing at her heart.

"Caroline, _please,_ tell me that's anything I can do to remedy this!" Max said loudly.

Caroline shook her head and cried while looking into Max's eyes.

"The night you moved out, the apartment had never been more quiet. You know I tried to sleep in my Murphy bed but I couldn't stop thinking that your bedroom was empty, I tried _so_ hard not to cry but when I stupidly knocked on your door and the door was already ajar and your bed was empty, I just couldn't help it." Caroline choked on her sobs and put her head in her hands. Tears flow down Max's face like a loose tap as she imagined Caroline doing just that while she was snuggled with Randy in her fancy bed, her heart twisting into a pain she couldn't describe.

"That night," Caroline took a deep breath and looked into Max's eyes.

"That night I knew I lost _my_ Max _Black._ " Max choked on her sobs but refused to wipe away her tears, she looked upwards, biting on her trembling lips to stop whatever whimper threatening to get out. Caroline tried to breathe deeply, trying to get her voice steady but she failed.

"Randy proposed to you not long after, do you know that was the night I was going to tell you I love you? " Caroline forced out a soft laughter, " I got to the diner, having rehearsed that in my mind the entire night, but there you were with the happiest smile on your face and a beautiful ring on your finger. I couldn't say anything." Carline pulled her knees to her chest, as if trying to protect her heart from falling apart but her heart had been so badly broken it seemed nothing would make her happy again.

"I'm just a stupid girl with her stupid naivety, I even secretly kept a engagement ring for you 5 years ago." Caroline's shoulder shook violently, she was crying so hard. She wished she could just die to escape this pain in her heart.

"Don't say that, Caroline, please don't call yourself that." Max cried, she never felt more helpless in her life, she had never hated herself as much as right now. She is Caroline's _best friend_ for Christ's sake! How could she not _notice_ any of this before?

"You're Max Walsh now, Max. I have completely lost you." Caroline cried and Max couldn't help as she whimpered at the sight. Caroline looked so little, so _lost,_ and so sad. Max felt frozen at her spot, she didn't what to do or what to say and that made her hate herself more.

"Caroline, don't cry, please don't cry." Max whimpered. "I can fix this, I know I can fix this. Please don't cry anymore, I'm right here."

Caroline only cried louder. "How are you going to fix it, Max? I couldn't asked you to say no the day I stood at the wrong side on the aisle. I can't stop you from your own happiness, Max. I need to leave."

"No! You're not leaving! You hear me, Caroline? You're not leaving me!" Max yelled desperately.

"And what?!" Caroline yelled back. "Watch you get pregnant and ask me to be you and Randy's child's godmother?"

Words got stucked in Max's throat,she opened her mouth but nothing came out. All she could taste was her own tears as they dripped between her lips. For a moment, there were only the sound of cries in the dark penthouse.

Max couldn't stop herself, "Please don't leave, Caroline, please don't leave me." She cried desperately, "I don't think I can live without you. _Please._ "

"I love you, Max." Caroline said softly, looking into Max's eyes and that only made both women cry harder than ever.

"But I can't stay here, you know that." Caroline wiped her tears away. Randy would be here soon to fetch Max home, she had texted Randy in the afternoon that Max could not stay the night with her and to pick her up before ten. She had a plane to catch.

Max only cried harder, her heart breaking. Caroline couldn't leave, but she couldn't stay either. Caroline stood up on gingery legs and held her hand to Max, Max looked up, slightly puzzled but took her hand and stood up as well.

"You have to go soon, Randy is going to pick you up." Caroline whispered and slowly lead Max to the door. As if in trance in her weakened state, Max followed.

"What do you mean?" Max wiped her tears but they wouldn't stop.

"You can't stay the night Max." As if the universe had it timed perfectly, the doorbell rang. Caroline held Max's face in her hands and leaned in to kiss her at the corner of her lips. "Goodbye, Max, I love you." Caroline whispered into her lips, her left hand stretching to open the door behind Max's back.

Max panicked and held onto Caroline's wrists.

"You won't leave without telling me right? Caroline? "Caroline pried her wrists away and opened the door, Randy was right there just about to greet her but was interrupted by Max's plea just as Caroline gently pushed her out.

"Caroline, answer me! You won't leave without telling me right? _Right?!"_ Caroline only smiled weakly at her, closing the door.

"Goodbye Max." Max presses her had onto the door, trying her might to keep it from closing but her weakened state lost. She caught the last glance of Caroline's sad eyes before the door slammed in her face. She knocked and slapped onto the door desperately, ignoring Randy calling her name.

"Caroline! _Caroline!!_ Promise me you won't leave without telling me! CAROLINE!! "Max was now straight up screaming incoherently, her cries muffling some of her words. She continued to slap on the door until her palm is red and tingling, her lips only repeating pleas.

"Caroline! Caroline! _please! Caroline, promise_ me!! Open the door, Caroline... "Her words were soon swallowed by her cries and her knees weakened and brought her to the floor. Before she could completely fall, Randy was there to catch her, prying her away from the door. Hugging her and saying soothing words and taking her to the car, but all Max could do was slap weakly against Randy's chest and repeating Caroline's name.

XXXXX

The journey back to her home was a complete blur. Max's body was just wrecked with sobs as she looked out the car window, curling into a ball. Randy threw worried glace to her time to time but only kept quiet as he completely had no idea what was happening. He carried Max bridal style back into their house as Max was completely unresponsive, he had never seen Max acting this depressed before. Upon entering the house, he laid Max in their bed and Max went straight to sleep the moment her head touched the pillow. Her body completely spent emotionally. Randy watched her worriedly and tried to call Caroline but failed. Caroline had changed her number entirely.

It was only nine but Randy went to get Max early because he didn't want to bother Caroline as she seemed busy that night, or else she wouldn't have asked him to get Max before ten. Max seemed completely knocked out so Randy went on with his night, and fell asleep next to Max around eleven thirty.

It was almost four in the morning when Max jerked awake, her body in overdrive. She sat up immediately and as if possessed, quickly dashed out of the apartment. A dull pain in her chest, that could be from crying too much or instinctively, Max knew was something else.

Ranch was awoken by the commotion and woke up confused at his bedside empty.

"Max? " He got up quickly and found the apartment door open. He grabbed his coat and ran after Max. He caught Max just in time for the elevator.

"Max! This is crazy, what are you doing? It's 4 the morning!"

Max looked relief at Randy's appearance and desperately yelled.

"Randy, please send me to Caroline's place, please!"

"Why? Did anything happen to Caroline?" Max ran to the parking lot to their car, anxious to get in. Randy started the car and drove to the blonde's penthouse.

"I got a feeling she's gone, Randy. I need to check, I just _have_ to."

"You do know it's 4 in the morning right?" Max didn't reply but waited anxiously in the car as they reached the place, thank goodness they lived near each other. Max pressed repeatly and aggressively on the elevator button, the feeling in her heart growing worse, her heart was beating insanely fast and she felt like any moment now, her heart would free fall to the pit of her stomach again.

When she arrived at penthouse, she didn't even realized she had been muttering "please, please, please, please... " like a mantra. Max opened the penthouse door and swinged it open, her heart racing.

 _Nothing._

Max's world started to fall apart piece by piece, _no, this couldn't be happening._

"Caroline?" her voice wavered but it only echoed back in the huge dark penthouse.

"Caroline! Caroline! " Max dashed to every room in the penthouse, her heart racing and she could feel her heart breaking all over again each time she found the room empty.

"She's gone..." Max whispered as she got back to the living room where Randy was looking at her as if she was crazy.

"Caroline? What do you mean."

"Caroline's gone. She left me. " Max fell to her knees, her vision blurring before the tears fell to the marble floor beneath her hands.

Caroline Channing had left her.


	2. Chapter 2

Six month later, Max was still lost and not herself. She was either too jumpy or completely unresponsive, Randy and the entire diner family were extremely worried and nobody knew what to do. Nobody expected Caroline to leave, at least not leave Max, they were two peas in a pod, they were always together and it seemed strangely odd to not see the blonde standing next to the brunnette.

After the horrible night, Max went completely overdrive and demanded to fly to find Caroline but Randy stopped her, he had to physically stopped her, mind. Caroline could fly to literally anywhere, how will Max ever find her? Max demanded that she could check with the airline, of where and when Caroline had left and once away Randy had to physically shake her shoulder, telling her it was impossible for the airline company to let out information of passengers. Max was incoherent, she couldn't think straight, everything happened so fast and next thing she knew, her best friend was gone. Caroline who was her partner, who was there with her for every single moment of her life, whom she cared the most in the world, and whom knew her and could read like nobody could in the world, was gone just like that.

Funny how someone who emitted so much energy and talked so much could completely brightened Max's life, and made Max forget those days before she met the blonde, and now the blonde disappeared, she seemed to have taken all the lights and energy from her life. Max simply couldn't understand, she just felt like someone had taken half her soul away.

She drifted around aimlessly. The next few days when she was resigned to the fact that she could not get Caroline back, she had locked herself in Caroline's penthouse, hoping that Caroline would realize she couldn't live without her as well and come back to her, but a week later the chirpy blonde was never in sight. Max wouldn't eat, nor sleep, she lost her sarcastic jokes and comments, she only nodded or give a non committal grunt when people talked to her. Randy was worried sick, Max was so depressed she seemed to be just existing, he tried to or sometimes forced Max to eat something, and see a therapist but Max would not do anything.

Most of the time Randy tried to start conversations with Max, it only ended with Max asking if he found Caroline hopefully just to be let down. Randy was trying to be as understanding as possible, Caroline had been Max's best friend and partner for years, loosing her would be hard but deep down, he was still uncertain and confused why it was affecting Max this seriously, he felt that nowadays Max wasn't even Max anymore.

While Max and Caroline no longer worked at the diner after they became successful, the diner became a mother ship that connects all the people in the diner, Max and Caroline would still visit the diner on a weekly basic and criticize the food and tease Han. One week later, Max had ran into the diner hoping to find Caroline there. She saw a skinny blonde with curly hair in a ponytail, in the diner's uniform and her back to Max, Max gasped and whispered Caroline's name before dashing to the blonde. But when Max was about to call out Caroline's name, the blonde turned around and she wasn't Caroline. Max had fell into the nearby booth and broken down all over again, barely noticing the diner family had surrounded her in worry, glancing at each other but not knowing what to do to comfort the brunette.

Nothing cheered Max up, when she found out Caroline had changed her number, she became more depressed than ever. As if to further torture herself, Max frequently visited their old apartment that was now legally theirs as well the window shop, she knew it was going to hurt but she just needed to be near with anywhere where Caroline used to be. Memories after memories flashed by the brunnette's mind, so much Max felt that she was just reliving them in her head.

Max visited ChestNut frequently as well, it was the only time Mad was slightly herself but she would never let Randy be with her when she was with ChestNut.

"Hey, buddy." Max managed a tiny smile as she entered Chestnut's personal barn, she caressed his handsome mane and placed a kiss on Chestnut's face. The Mustang neighed at seeing Max and nudged her.

"It's been 6 months, has your other mommy came to see you? Do you miss her, Chessie?" Max asked and replied back in her Chestnut's voice.

"Yes, I miss her very much, when is she coming back?"

Max paused and swallowed the tightening in her throat. "I don't know, buddy. I miss her very much too, everyday."

Max fed ChestNut a carrot and as ever, remembered the day when Caroline and her rode the subway to Manhattan to take ChestNut home for the first time, Starbucks in their hand and that was when Caroline started a dream in her.

"No, I think we have a horse."Then there was also the day when they both rode ChestNut to find Martha Stewart to ask her to try out their cupcake. Caroline was so beautiful that night. Max shook her head and continue to pet ChestNut.

"Say, ChestNut, do you think Caroline will come home?" ChestNut replied by letting out a sad neigh.

"I wonder if this is how she felt like the past years when Randy and I are together." ChestNut nudged her again. "I was so selfish, Chessie. I took your mom for granted, I thought I could have the best of both world, but all this while I was hurting Caroline. How is it possible I never noticed Caroline loved me that way? I mean we always joked about it, but that's what it was all about, just a joke!"

"I miss her, Chessie, I miss her so much. There was this constant pain in my chest, what should I do, buddy? Tell me what to do..." Max leaned her head to Chestnut's neck and whimpered.

Max continued to sit by ChestNut until Randy picked her up in the evening.

"Hey Max, ready to go?" Randy let out a forced smile which Max returned with a weak smile and nod. Max was hot and cold to him, she lost the passion she used to feel with Randy. Maybe some part in her unconsciously blamed Randy for this, but most part blamed herself for pushing Caroline away. Some nights Max was so sad, the thought of being intimate with Randy completely disgusted her; some nights Max was completely feral with Randy to satisfy her needs, but their sex was completely mechanical and lost all passion.

"What would you like for dinner?"

"I don't care, anything is fine." Max replied shortly and Randy clenched his jaw. Both of them knew the relationship between them was over long ago but nobody said anything. At first, Randy didn't want to leave Max at her weakened and depressed state, but one month had slowly dragged into six months and Max did not seem to get any better. Randy didn't think he could last any longer. He thought Max would get over it, and she would be back to the witty, sarcastic, lively woman he fell in love with but this Max was a complete different woman and didn't seem to be improving or trying to improve any time soon.

When hey got back home, Randy had finally had enough. He turned about and grabbed Max by her wrist, and siting here down by the dining area. Max was surprised at his rough action.

"Woah, Randy!"

"Max I need to talk."

"Oh." Max muttered. She shrugged, "What is it."

"I've waited for six whole months, Max but you don't seemed to be even trying to be better-" Randy started off but was cut off immediately.

"I lost my best friend, what did you expect? "She snapped but Randy snapped back.

"Not this! A few weeks maybe a month or two? But not this, Max! This is insane, Caroline was only a friend to you, I don't understand! We could have been happy or even start a family but most of the time it's like you were simply existing!"

"Caroline is not just a friend!" Max yelled in defense, and her heart clenched at the mention of starting a family with Randy.

"Not just a friend? I knew it! Then what is it, Max? Because the way you acted, you act as if you lost your soul or something, these days I could never talk to you and don't even get me started on the sex! " Randy raised his voice as well.

"Caroline is very important to me, okay? I don't know what she is, but she is more than just a friend! She's my family, and my partner and more than that.."

"Max, I'm your partner, and I can be your family."

"It's not the same, you don't understand!" Max started to get frustrated with the conversation, and tugged at her hair irritably.

"Well then make me understand! What's so different about Caroline? Do you love her?" Randy stood up.

Max opened her mouth to reply but completely froze. Randy kicked the chair and ruffled his hair in anger, Max jumped at that but kept her eyes on the table.

"Damn! I knew it! "

Max teared up, fat drops dripping onto the marble table, she tightened her hands into fist.

"I'm sorry..." When Caroline left, it switched on something in her. Sure, she always had a special feeling for Caroline, but she knew that was only because she never had a true friend like Caroline. She never really know it had built up through out the years because of how comfortable she was with their relationship. Then she got together with Randy, and she couldn't be happier with two relationships blooming steadily. She had been so used to Caroline being by her side, she never ventured what could have been between them. But when Caroline left, she only realized then Caroline had become more than any relationship she had been with, she love Caroline more than anyone in the world.

"If Caroline were to come back right now, who would you choose?" Randy asked harshly even though they both knew the answer, Randy wanted Max to say it in his face. Max looked up with a pained expression.

"Randy, you know the answer to that... "

"No, I want you to say it out loud."

There was a tense pause in the air before Max whispered.

"Caroline. I will _always_ choose Caroline." Randy squeezed his eyes shut and wiped his face with his palm, he turned his back on Max, breathing heavily.

"I can't live without her, you know that, Randy..."Max whispered.

"Yeah! Yeah I know that and I experienced that first hand. You don't know how much it hurts me to see the one you love completely crumbled."

 _Trust me, I know._ Max thought back to the night but kept quiet. Randy stared at her for a moment as if he knew what Max was thinking. Finally he said, "I can find Caroline for you."

Max's head snapped up, her eyes shocked. "What?! But you told me we couldn't-" Randy cut her off

"I could pull some connection and find Caroline for you." Max's jaw dropped, her eyes showed disbelief.

"Then why didn't you do that when I asked you to help me? We could have found her in a week when she left!" Max stood up, filled with anger.

"I didn't want to, okay? I thought you would be okay and would be back to yourself in a month. But it's now clear to me who you belonged to, you would never recover from this loss and I can't sit and watch you destroy yourself any longer."

Max's jaw dropped again in disbelief, she couldn't believe Ranch could have found Caroline all this while but pretended he didn't know how.

"I can't believe you, Randy! You knew how much I was suffering, you knew how depressed I was all these months and you kept quiet?? "Max screamed.

"I know I was selfish, fine, but I wanted you back, Max!" Randy said again. Max kept quiet, she couldn't find the right words to describe how _angry_ she was feeling at the moment.

"I'm sorry, Max." Max glared at him. "I found Caroline for you, she's currently at Venice, Italy." Max perked up and her entire face lit up. Randy watched her and knew he was no match to Caroline.

"I'm leaving tonight. I have to find her." Max breathed out and dashed into their bedroom, pulling out a small luggage.

"Max, I just want you to be happy. "Ready said, entering their bedroom and seeing Max pulling random dresses and clothes in them. Max paused and looked up, with a sad smile on her face.

"I know, Randy... I'm sorry too. I really am. "

Randy looked down, resigned. At least one of them could be happy. He smiled sadly back.

"Caroline is living in the Belmond Hotel, I booked the flight and room for you." Max snapped her head up again, a shocked look on her face.

"Randy, you don't have to-"

"I know I don't, but it's the least I can do after months of not knowing how to help you, and leaving the information out."

Max smiled, a genuine happy smile on her face.

"Thank you, Randy. " Randy smiled back, glad at the smile on Max's smile. He had not seen it in a while, and felt slighlty sad at what it took to make Max smile again.

"The flight is this Friday." Max opened her mouth but was interrupted.

"Don't worry, she would still be there, her next flight is not until next week." Max sighed.

Two days from now, she would be able to see Caroline again. She smiled to herself again, Randy watched her face sadly. Max looked up at the silence and saw Randy's face. Max walked to him and held his hands.

"You know I loved you, I really did." Randy smiled sadly.

"I know."

XXXXXX

11 hours later, Max finally checked into her hotel room. Caroline was in level 12, room 2078, Max was exhausted from the flight and she was slightly jet lagged as well. She was on the same floor, bless Randy for being so amazing even though he had been through so much for Max. Max looked down at her attire, a simple top with jeans with a tired look on her face and decided to just come back to see Caroline in an hour or two. She wanted to look alive and gorgeous to impress the woman, to win her back, so to speak.

Max looked longingly at the number plate on Caroline's door and walked past to her own room. She opened her hotel room and wondered at how fancy the room is, there was a queen size bed on the middle, beautifully decorated but what drew her attention was the lone bathtub by the windows. The view was breathtaking at well, with the Italian cultured building and brilliant flowers everywhere. Max didn't have the energy to properly look at the view, she closed the door behind her and collapsed onto the bed.

She took her phone and glanced at the clock, it has no adjusted to the time in New York. She looked around for a clock in the room and found one at the corner, showing 3:15pm. Max sighed, set her alarm for three hours and fell asleep.

When Max woke up, she was glad at her choice to take a nap. She was completely alert, she took a quick shower and redid her name up. Dressing herself in a casual but a low cleavage black dress. For once in so many months, Max smiled at herself in the mirror, feeling confident for once, she put on the perfume she used when they first met, it was a more expensive version of it and most importantly it was also one of the first gifts Caroline bought her after they were rich. Max smiled at the memory and adjusted her dress again.

Her heart was beating very fast, so many months spent wondering how Caroline was, if she had changed, if things would ever be normal again between them. She couldn't wait to see her best friend again, she was nervous and excited. She missed Caroline so much, she didn't know what to label the blonde but all she knew was that she couldn't live without her, and she loved Caroline with all her heart.

Max took a deep breath, trying to think of her rehearsal in her head and all the things she wanted to tell Caroline. She looked at the clock and see that it was almost seven, wore on her high heels and was out of her hotel room with only a purse in her hand. If all things go well, she wanted to start their first reunion with her asking Caroline out for dinner.

Max stopped in front of door 2078, her hands trembled slightly as it raised to the door bell.

 _Here goes everything._

Max rang the door bell and immediately covered the peep hole, exhaling a shuddering breathe. She did not want Caroline to reject her before she could even explain things to her. She heard heels clicked against the floor before it stopped before the door on the other side of the brunnette, Caroline was probably looking through the peep hole just to only see a block of darkness.

Max's heart was jumping so hard she felt like the entire hallway could hear her, hell, she was even half tempted to run back to her room and hide. She held her breath as the door clicked open.

Max's jaw dropped open but the breath she held in wouldn't be let out.There she was, Caroline Channing, more beautiful than Max remember. Caroline's hair style changed, she was still blonde with long curly hair, some were clicked back giving her her usual elegant and classy look. She was dressed in a halter neck white top and a skinny jeans, topped off with her signature heels.

Caroline gasped in shock, never would she expect the brunnette of her dream world appear on the other side when she opened the door. Time stood still and the women stared at each other.

"Max?" Caroline breathed out in disbelief. "How did you-" she asked but completely cut off when Max flung her arms around her waist and hugged her tightly, her face in the crook of her neck. Caroline's hands were left in the air in shock before she used one hand to close the door and awkwardly touched Max's back. Before long, Caroline thought to herself : _"if this is a dream, I might as well dream it to the fullest_ " and hugged back the brunnette just as tightly. Caroline inhaled and the familiar perfume filled her senses and she sighed happily, this felt so real.

Caroline was the first to pull back but Max remained her tight grip around her waist.

"Max...?" Caroline softly asked and finally Max pulled back to look at her, the brunette's eyes were tearful.

"I missed you _so much,_ Caroline." Max said with a trembling voice, Caroline's heart clenched in pain.

"How did you get here, Max? How did you find me?" Caroline gently laid her hands on the wrists surrounding her waist, the brunnette still refused to let her go.

A tear dripped down and Max quickly wiped them away, she took a deep breath before answering.

"Randy. "

"Oh." Caroline's face changed. "He's here too?"

Max saw that and quickly shook her head, "No, no, I came here alone to find you. I came to tell you, Caroline, that I couldn't and can't live without you. The past 6 months were hell, I merely existed with severe depression, without you, I couldn't eat, nor sleep or do _anything_. Please come back to me, Caroline. _Please._ I'm _begging_ you."

Caroline's heart beat painfully, she was torn between returning back to Max and lived as before or reject Max, her choice would either ruin Max or herself.

"Max, I-" Caroline swallowed and touched her hand to Max's face, "I can't live with you being with Randy, watching you two together killed me and I just can't-" She was cut off with Max holding her hand against her face.

"No, listen Caroline, Randy and I are no longer together. In fact, we were over a few months ago but he finally confronted me a few days ago. He found you for me and paid for my flight here!"

Caroline was confused, she stepped back, letting her hand fall from Max's face.

"I don't understand, Max... are you saying what I think you're saying?"

Max nodded eagerly, a tender look on her face. " I love you, Caroline. I will _always_ choose you."

Caroline pinched her arm, thinking this was a dream. She winced in pain but was more surprised that Max was still in front of her. Max slowly stepped closer.

"I'm _so_ sorry it took me so long to tell you this, Caroline. Will you accept my apology?" Caroline searched her eyes, opened her mouth but nothing came out. Could this be happening? Could this be real? Could Max be right here in Venice with her, telling Caroline she loves her?

"Please wake me up if this is a dream." She squeezed her eyes and whispered but before she knew it, two hands gently held her face and pressed her lips against hers. Caroline shot her eyes open, Max's full lips were pressing hard on hers. Caroline wanted this to happen all her life, but after everything that had happened to her, every heart break she had been through, she didn't dare to bare her heart out again.

Caroline did not return the kiss, after a few seconds Max frowned and pulled back in confusion. Caroline stared back blankly.

Suddenly Max's face fell, tears pooled in her eyes and her lips trembled violently.

 _Was I too late? Has Caroline moved on?_ Max could physically feel her heart break into a million piece, she could _hear_ the glass hitting the pit of her stomach. She clenched her fist around her dress, just when her heart had started to slowly heal upon knowing she could see Caroline again, just when her heart started to beat purposefully at the thought of being near Caroline, just when her heart was filled with hope at the thought of them having a chance of being together. Had this been all for nothing?

 _I think I'm dying._

Tears dripped down her cheeks, Max wanted a hole to appear and swallow her. Caroline watched at Max, more confused than ever, one second Max was kissing her, the next second she was... crumbling?

"Max, I-" Caroline started but Max interrupted her quickly.

"You've moved on, I was too late." Max choked on a sob as she tried to breath in deeply. She was looking down onto the floor.

 _Oh._ Caroline understood now, and she was not going to let Max go _again_ with an misunderstanding. She stepped forward and placed both hands on tear stricken face, she gently raised Max's face to her.

"No, Max. I will _never_ get over you." Then Caroline kissed Max. She really kissed Max, she softly moved her lips against the other pair of wine red lips. She didn't allow Max to pull back, she just softly kissed Max until the brunnette put her arms around her neck and kissed her back.

Suddenly, everything is right in the world. Caroline moaned into the kiss when she allowed Max's tongue into her lips. Nothing else mattered, all that matters right this moment was two souls rejoicing at their sweet reunion.

What seemed like forever, the two women broke apart to catch their breath.

"I love you, Max. I will always love you." Caroline smiled and cried at the same time.

"I love you too, Caroline Channing." Max said tearfully and bursted out in laughter, her infectious laughter making Caroline laughed as well.

When their laughter ceased, Caroline kissed Max again, combing her hair through the brunnette's hair. Smiling into the kiss, Caroline directed the brunnette to the bed. Just when they were nearing the bed, Max tripped and fell onto the bed, pulling Caroline with her. They bursted out laughing again.

When they stopped, they mutually turned onto their sides and stared lovingly into each other's eyes. Max intertwined their fingers together.

"I really miss you, Caroline." Caroline smiles softly before lifting Max's fingers to her lips. She was well aware that there were no rings on her fingers.

"I promise I will never _ever_ leave you again."

"Good, 'cuz if you do, I'd just die and then I would rise from hell to haunt you for the rest of your life."

Max said with her usual smirk, Caroline smiled happily. They continue to look at each other in comfortable silence.

"You know, I was planning on asking you out for dinner if things went well." Max said with a smile.

"Then?" Caroline raised one eyebrow.

"Will you go out with me, Caroline?" Max asked softly.

"Yes."

The couple went out for a romantic dinner near the canal, glancing at each other shyly but at the same time still managed to make little jokes just like old time. Then they had a walk along the canal, with soft yellow lamp lights illuminating their skins. They held hands as they walked, not only because they wanted to be near but also needed the contact to ground them, making sure the other wouldn't disappear if they ever let go. They talked about everything, just like the old times but they tried to stray away from the sad times they both had been through, that could wait.

That night, they made love. It was not awkward but the complete opposite instead, it felt so natural for them. The slow kisses, the shy hands gently prying each other's clothing off; the sighs and moans as they explored each other's bodies. Letting their desire and love guide them, Max and Caroline met in the middle together.

That night, their souls reunited.

After all, soul mates belong together.


End file.
